Synonyms
Diagnostic interview; Intake; Intake interview; Unstructured clinical interview
Definition
A skillfully conducted clinical interview is the cornerstone of psychological assessment. This interaction, typically a face-to-face meeting that lasts between 30 minutes and 2 hours, generates a tremendous amount of data for the clinician via both observation and direct questioning. Information obtained through observation during the clinical interview is considered qualitative or descriptive and can include impressions about cognition, attention, orientation, language, sensorimotor functioning, affect, insight, attitude toward assessment, acculturation, hygiene, interpersonal relations, and coping mechanisms, among other variables. In addition, the verbal exchange between patient and clinician yields information about current life circumstances, including the reason for referral and history of the presenting problem, as well as an account of developmental/medical/family history,...
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References and Readings
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Gorgens, K.A. (2018). Clinical Interview. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_2021
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_2021
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